Discourses - Book IV   

about the way in which the beard becomes great or the hair long? No,
but rather what Zeno says, to know the elements of reason, what kind
of a thing each of them is, and how they are fitted to one another,
and what things are consequent upon them. Will you not, then, see
first if he does what he professes when he acts in an unbecoming
manner, and then blame his study? But now when you yourself are acting
in a sober way, you say in consequence of what he seems to you to be
doing wrong, "Look at the philosopher," as if it were proper to call
by the name of philosopher one who does these things; and further,
"This is the conduct of a philosopher." But you do not say, "Look at
the carpenter," when you know that a carpenter is an adulterer or
you see him to be a glutton; nor do you say, "See the musician."
Thus to a certain degree even you perceive the profession of a
philosopher, but you fall away from the notion, and you are confused
through want of care.
But even the philosophers themselves as they are called pursue the
thing by beginning with things which are common to them and others: as
soon as they have assumed a cloak and grown a beard, they say, "I am a
philosopher." But no man will say, "I am a musician," if he has bought
a plectrum and a lute: nor will he say, "I am a smith," if he has
put on a cap and apron. But the dress is fitted to the art; and they
take their name from the art, and not from the dress. For this
reason Euphrates used to say well, "A long time I strove to be a
philosopher without people knowing it; and this," he said, "was useful
to me: for first I knew that when I did anything well, I did not do it
for the sake of the spectators, but for the sake of myself: I ate well
for the sake of myself; I had my countenance well composed and my
walk: all for myself and for God. Then, as I struggled alone, so I
alone also was in danger: in no respect through me, if I did
anything base or unbecoming, was philosophy endangered; nor did I
injure the many by doing anything wrong as a philosopher. For this
reason those who did not know my purpose used to wonder how it was
that, while I conversed and lived altogether with all philosophers,
I was not a philosopher myself. And what was the harm for me to be
known to be a philosopher by my acts and not by outward marks?" See
how I eat, how I drink, how I sleep, how I bear and forbear, how I
co-operate, how I employ desire, how I employ aversion, how I maintain
the relations, those which are natural or those which are acquired,
how free from confusion, how free from hindrance. Judge of me from
this, if you can. But if you are so deaf and blind that you cannot
conceive even Hephaestus to be a good smith, unless you see the cap on
his head, what is the harm in not being recognized by so foolish a
judge?
So Socrates was not known to be a philosopher by most persons; and
they used to come to him and ask to be introduced to philosophers. Was
he vexed then as we are, and did he say, "And do you not think that
I am a philosopher?" No, but he would take them and introduce them,
being satisfied with one thing, with being a philosopher; and being
pleased also with not being thought to be a philosopher, he was not
annoyed: for he thought of his own occupation. What is the work of